ANCHORAGE BARIATRICS

The Truths About Bariatric Surgery

The media tells us a lot about bariatric surgery. Yes, it is for weight loss, but some say it’s just an easy “way out” of obesity and that is incorrect. Read the truths behind the top three myths about bariatric surgery.

Myth 1: Bariatric surgery is for everyone who is overweight.Truth: Bariatric surgery is not for everybody who wants to lose weight. There are things that doctors look at to see if a candidate is qualified (BMI, medical conditions, co-morbidities, etc). Prospective surgery patients go through a consultation phase and begin incorporating post-surgery health habits into their daily lives before a surgery date is even set.

Myth 2: Bariatric surgery is a fast and easy way to get thin.Truth: There is no such thing as an “easy way to lose weight.” Bariatric surgery is designed to help a patient lose weight by making physical changes to the digestive system. Post-surgery healthy lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise, are required to maximize the surgery benefits. Bariatric surgery is used to not just get the extra weight off, but also to help alleviate medical conditions that come with being overweight, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and joint pain, to name a few.

Myth 3: You can eat whatever you want after bariatric surgery.Truth: Bariatric surgery is just one step to losing weight. We like to call it a “tool” in your weight loss toolbox. It requires discipline and motivation. Two things that are aided by the differences you’ll notice post-surgery. It is useful to understand that this requires a lifestyle change and a lifelong commitment, both of which are easier to accomplish with your new tool. This is no doctor magic, but this could be your “will to change” magic!

Our next Support Group is Wednesday, April 3 and the topic is “Emotional Eating” presented by Kris Craig of Bridges Counseling. Support groups are FREE and open to everyone!The meeting will be from 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Willow Room (adjacent to the cafeteria) at Providence Hospital. Click here to register!

If you would like more information about how Anchorage Bariatrics can help you with a customized weight loss solution, would like to attend a free informational seminar, or our Monthly Support Group, please call us at 907-644-THIN.

6 Surprising Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

1. Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious – a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
2. The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.
3. May have cancer-fighting properties.
4. Supports healthy vision.
5. May enhance brain function.
6. May support your immune system.

~www.healthline.com

5 Steps to Master Tadasana

Set the foundation for all other postures and test your focus and concentration in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

1. Stand with your feet together. Line up your heels behind your second and third toes. (Most people will have to turn out their heels a little.) Face your kneecaps over your toes.
2. The weight should be even on each foot, from front to back and side to side. To do this, ground down, lift your kneecaps, and engage your quadriceps muscles. Then isometrically press the backs of your knees forward—but don’t actually bend them—engaging your quads and hamstring muscles equally. Hug your upper thighs together, then isometrically press them away from one another to activate both your adductors (inner thighs) and abductors (outer thighs).
3. With your arms alongside your body, turn your biceps and palms to face forward. Align your neck so it feels long and even on all sides.
4. Take a big inhale and lift your rib cage evenly away from your pelvis; exhale and hug in the sides of your waist to create lumbar (low-back) stability.
5. Stay here for a good 10 breaths—or make this your whole practice!

If you’ve tried all the weight loss tricks, diet plans, and hot new exercise trends -–all to no avail—then you’re in the right place. ORBERA® is a 2-part weight loss system that starts with placing a soft gastric balloon in your stomach to encourage portion control and a one-year coaching program to help you keep the weight off. Start living the ORBERA® life today!